Container transfer mechanism



Oct. 9, 1951 L. BRAGER CONTAINER TRANSFER MECHANI'SM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1946 l BY I Arret/(frs Oct. 9, 1951 L. BRAGl-:R 2,570,198

CONTAINER TRANSFER NECRANISM Filed April 19, 194e Y 5 sheets-sheet 2 Arrokwf YJ' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 |l 11 Il :I l :l Il l| OH 4| I|| |I |l il H ON I ,l ,l ,l

l /l f QNVENTOR ww@ Oct. 9, 1951 L. BRAGER CONTAINER TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed April 19, 1946 Patented Oct. 9, 1951 CONTAINER TRANSFER MEcnANrsM Leif Brager, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 19, 1946, Serial No. 663,408

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a feeding mechanism for containers and has particular reference to a rotatable transfer turret for advancing angular cornered containers from one group relative to a diierent group relation.

In certain respects, the invention constitutes an improvement upon the feeding mechanism illustrated and described in the August E. Almgren United States l`atent 2,393,961, issued February 5, 1946, and is directed especially to high speed and uniform transfer of containers either for stacking or for feeding and separating.

An object of the invention is the provision of a high speed uniform flow feeding mechanism including a rotatable transfer turret having pockets for receiving angular cornered containers from a supply arranged in one group relation and for transferring them into a different group relation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rotatable transfer turret having pockets for receiving angular cornered containers from a supply magazine and for individually delivering each container from the magazine in a manner to support the other containers in the magazine so that they retain their original stacked relation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a transfer turret having movable pockets for receiving an individual container while supporting and moving the others without disturbing their stacked arrangement at the same time separating the lowermost container and shifting it for entry into an auxiliary turret or other device which will effect a transfer of the separated containers in spaced relation to a place of discharge.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is betterunderstood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a feeding mechanism embodying the present invention, with parts broken away;

is a sectional view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 as taken substantially along the broken lines 2--2 in that ligure; and

3 is a sectional view taken substantialh7 along the line 3 3 in Fig. 2 with parts broken away.

As a preferred. embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a feeding mechanism for separating bre milk containers A individually from one group relation to :a diferent group relation. The containers illustrated are square in cross-section but this invention is adapted equally Well to containers of other shapes.

The feeding mechanism may be a portion of a more elaborate machine in which the containers pass in continuous procession from another machine. Such feeding mechanism is operable in either of two directions, that is to say, it may ce operated in one direction for separating and shifting individual containers A from a stack of containers in a magazine while transferring them in spaced relation or it may be operated in the reverse for stacking such containers in the magazine. The mechanism illustrated in the drawings will be described as a feeding mechanism for separating individual containers from a group stacked in a magazine and from such description the reverse stacking operation will be obvious.

The containers A are received in a vertical magazine B (Fig. l) and are fed individually from the bottom of the magazine by a continuously rotatable turret C positioned vertically adjacent the magazine. Turret C carries a plurality of movable pockets D which are spaced around the periphery of the turret. These pockets preferably are formed in the outer ends of swinging arms E which are secured to and have pivotal movement on the turret. Pockets D of which there are eight in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, are formed to provide a right angled pocket for the reception of individual containers which are received from the magazine B.

During a cycle of rotation of the turret C, the arms E move clockwise rst up, over and then dof-.rn in a circular path of travelpassing adjacent the supply of containers A in the: magazine B (Fig. i). The arms E gradually direct the advancing pockets D into a path effective for the transfer of containers from the magazine. A leading wall of each pocket D serves temporarily as a platform to support the stack during the time the stack continues to be lowered.

In other words as the turret C continues to rotate, the swinging arm E supporting the stack and moving with the turret, travels through its outward and downward path and lowers the entire stack a distance equal to one container. This brings the lowermost supported container into a position where it is below and clear of the magazine. This is effected gradually and smoothly thus preventing damage to the container as it is separated from the stack and transferred to a convenient place of deposit. The following arm E has engaged and supported the stack of containers above the lowermost one during this time so that during the separation of the lowermost container the remaining containers in the stack are fully supported.

A more detailed description of the feeding mechanism now will be given. The various working parts of the mechanism are supported in a frame or housing II which constitutes the main frame. This frame serves as a casing for protecting various driving elements of the machine as well as for supporting parts on its exterior surface.

The magazine B is one of the parts mounted on the outside of the frame II and is secured to the upper wall thereof. This magazine comprises a plurality of corner guide bars I2, I3 which are vertically disposed (Figs. 1 and 2). There are four such bars, two of each on opposite sides, located at the four corners of a rectangular shaped passage I5, open at its top and bottom ends for reception of and passage therethrough of the containers A.

The guide bars I2, i3 are attached to the housing II by means of angle irons I5 which are secured to both the bars and the housing. Guide bars I2, i3 extend down through a rectangular opening I6 in the housing. At the bottom the guide bars I3 are secured to concentric guide rails Il. These rails are also secured to the housing I I by bolts I8 and will be referred to again.

The turret C is disposed below the magazine B and to one side, toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1. Turret C' comprises in part a sleeve 2| having spaced disks 22, 23 between which the swinging arms E are pivoted on pins 24 carried in the disks. hub 25 and are arranged in pairs and in spaced relation. There are eight pairs of such arms.

rThe turret C is mounted for rotation with a horizontal shaft 26 journaled in bearings 21, 26 which are secured to opposite sides of the housing Il. Shaft 25 is rotated by a gear 32 which is keyed to a shouldered end of the shaft. A washer 33 bolted to the`end of the shaft retains the gear in place on the shaft. A drive gear 35 (Fig. 3) mounted on a machine drive shaft 55 meshes with and drives the gear 32. The drive shaft 35 may be driven in any suitable manner.

Each pocket D is formed with a leading elongated wall l2 (Fig. 1) and a shorter cooperating Wall i3 disposed at a right angle. The outer end of each leading wall i2 is tapered and is bent slightly relative to the remainder of the wall as at lili and terminates in a rounded nose. The leading end of the arm E moving into the position identified by the letter F in Fig. 1 is ready to move into place and to function as a platform to support the stack of containers A above the lowermost container in the magazine. At that moment the lowermost container is about to be removed by the pocket of the preceding arm.

The arms E are cam actuated throughout their cycle of operation and the pockets Dv are advanced or retarded relative to the circular movement of the turret C to cause each pocket to move along a desired path of travel. For this purpose a lever 46 (see also Figs. 2 and 3) is formed integrally with the inner end of each hub 25. Each lever i6 carries a cam roller il which rotates on a pin i6 and the roller operates in a cam groove 52 of a stationary cam 53. The cam These arms are formed integrally with a l 4 53 surrounds the shaft 26 and is secured to the housing II.

With the arms E and the containers in the magazine as shown in Fig. 1 the lowermost container for the first time is fully seated in its pocket D. Further movement of the arm E supporting this lowermost container causes the upper right hand corner of the container to engage against and move along the curved surfaces of the concentric guide rails Il. These rails retain the container fully in its pocket. In the meantime the succeeding arm E is passing into supporting position beneath the stack and when this succeeding arm takes over, the lowermost container A is separated from the magazine.V

Following its separation it moves along its circular path of travel with the turret.

The guide rails Il' guide the separated containers to a point of transfer G where each container passes into an auxiliary transfer turret H. The guide rails Il' abut spaced and curved guide rails 56 at the transfer point G and these latter rails lead the separated containers into a conveyor J. Guide rails 56 are secured to the housing II by bolts 5l. Y

At the transfer station G the separated containers A pass from the pockets D and enter into pockets K of the transfer turret H. Turret H is located directly beneath the turret C and is mounted on a horizontal shaft 62 (Figs. 1 and 2). Shaft 62 is journaled in bearings 63, 66 which are secured to the opposite sides of the housing II. The shaft 62 is driven in time with shaft 26 and for this purpose a gear 65 is keyed on the end of shaft 62 and is held in place by a washer 66 bolted tothe end of the shaft. Gear 65 meshes with and is driven by the gear 32.

The turret H includes a sleeve 61 having a pair of spaced disks 68 formed integral therewith. The pockets K are formed in disks 68. There are six pockets in each disk and corresponding pockets of each disk are horizontally aligned. The disks 68 pass between the walls 42 of the arms E during the transfer of the containers A at position G. For this purpose each wall 42 is cut away at l2 (Figs. 1 and 2) for clearance.

In the further conveyance of the containers A by the auxiliary turret H, they are guided along a circular path of travel by an arcuate guide rail I5 which is spaced centrally of the guide rails 56 (Fig. 1). Guide rail 'I5 is secured to the housing I I and to a bracket 'I6 by bolts TI. An end rail 18 also is provided for guiding the containers \A endwise as they move toward the lower end of guide rail 15.

The separated containers A after being carried downwardly in a counter-clockwise direction by the auxiliary turret H enter into pockets L of the conveyor J. The conveyor J is operated in a clockwise direction and transfers the containers in a separated or spaced relation to a suitable place of deposit.

The conveyor J may include an endless chain operating over a conventional sprocket which may be mounted at one end of a cross shaft 82 (Fig. 3). Such a shaft is journaled in bearings 83 which are secured to the housing II. Shaft 82 is operated in time with the shafts 26, 62 and for this purpose carries a gear 84. Gear 84 meshes with and is driven by the gear 65. A gear guard S5 encases the gears 32, 65 (Fig. 2) and is secured to the side of the housing I I.

This completes the description of the invention as applied to the feeding of containers. It is evident that by reversing the direction of travel 5 of the various moving parts containers will be conveyed in a reverse direction and may even be stacked in a magazine.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arra'imi'gement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a feeding mechanism for separating and transferring oblong containers from one group relation to a different group relation, the combination of a magazine for holding a supply of the containers in stacked relation, a rotatable turret located adjacent said magazine and having a plurality of pockets for successively receiving containers from said magazine, each pocket being movable relative to said turret and being formed by cooperating adjoining walls, one of said walls being engageable against one wall of the outermost container in said magazine for supporting the same, another of said walls being engageable against an adjoining wall of said outermost container for shifting and separating the supported container from the remaining containers in said magazine to remove it from the maga- :w

zine and to locate it in a different group relation, and means for moving a supporting wall of an adjacent pocket into said magazine for supporting the remaining supply of containers during the time the outermost container is being shifted. :2.

2. In a feeding mechanism for transferring containers from one group relation to a different group relation, the combination of a rotatable turret, pockets pivotally mounted on and carried by said turret for receiving and for conveying containers from one position to another and for changing their group relation, each pocket being formed by integral walls one wall being engageable with a container wall for supporting a container within said pocket while allowing container movement relative to the pocket, a magazine located adjacent said rotatable turret and cooperative therewith for holding a supply of containers in a group relation different from the group relation within said turret, and pocket actuating means for moving one of said pockets on said turret to engage with and shift a container laterally of said magazine, said actuating means also pivoting an adjacent pocket on said turret to support the remaining containers in i said magazine.

3. In a feeding mechanism for transferring containers from one group relation to a different group relation, the combination of a rotatable turret, pockets pivotally mounted on and carried by said turret for receiving and for conveying containers from one position to another, each pocket being `formed by integral walls one wall being engageable with a container wall for supporting a container within said pocket while allowing container movement relative to the pocket, a magazine located adjacent said rotatable turret and cooperative therewith for holding a supply of containers in one of said group relations, an auxiliary transfer turret disposed adjacent said rotatable turret and cooperative therewith for holding containers in a different group relation, and pocket actuating means for moving one of said pockets on said turret to en- 6 gage with and shift a container` laterally of said magazine to effect transfer between said magazine and said auxiliary turret, said actuating means also pivoting an adjacent pocket on said turret to support the remaining containers in said magazine.

4. In a feeding mechanism for transferring angular cornered containers from one group relation to a different group relation, the combination of a rotatable turret, a magazine located adjacent said turret and cooperative therewith for holding a supply of containers in one of said group relations, a plurality of pockets movably mounted on and carried by said turret for receiving and for conveying containers from one position to another, each pocket being formed by angular cornered integral walls one wall being engageable with the container for supporting it during movement of the pocket under the container for seating the container within the pocket and thence supporting the seated container during its subsequent removal from said magazine, an angular wall adjacent said supporting wall engaging the container when it is fully seated in the pocket, an auxiliary transfer turret disposed adjacent said rotatable turret for holding oontainers in a different group relation, a plurality of stationary rails concentric with said rotatable turret and disposed between said magazine and said auxiliary transfer turret for holding each container against said angular wall in fully seated position within the turret pocket to effect the transfer of containers from said magazine to said auxiliary turret along a path of travel into different grouped relation, and pocket actuating means for moving a said pocket advancing with said rotating turret to position its walls to separate a container from said magazine while supporting the other containers in the magazine.

5. In a feeding mechanism for transferring containers from one group relation to stack, them in a different group relation, the combination of a rotatable turret, an auxiliary transfer turret located adjacent said rotatable turret and having means for advancing containers: in spaced relation toward the rotatable turret, a magazine disposed adjacent said rotatable turret for receiving containers for arrangement in stacked relation, a plurality of pockets pivotally mounted on and carried by said rotatable turret, each pocket having integral walls for engaging walls of individual containers as discharged from said auxiliary turret and for conveying the containers into said magazine, and pocket actuating means for moving one of said pockets relative to the turret for placing the container in the pocket at the bottom of the stack and in position for supporting the stack of containers in the magazine while the pocket is withdrawn from the container, said actuating means moving the adjacent pocket to position its container into stack supporting relation when the previous pocket is fully withdrawn.

LEIF BRAGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 831,905 Thom Sept. 25, 1906 1,015,319 Jefferies et al. Jan. 23, 1912 1,689,247 Lange Oct. 30, 1928 

